The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for generating poll information from a chat session.
Online chat refers to any kind of communication over the Internet that offers a real-time transmission of text messages from senders to receivers. Chat messages are generally short in order to enable other participants to respond quickly. Thereby, a feeling similar to a spoken conversation is created, which distinguishes chatting from other text-based online communication forms such as Internet forums and email. Online chat addresses point-to-point communications as well as multicast communications from one sender to many receivers and voice and video chat, or may be a feature of a web conferencing service.
Online chat in a less stringent definition may be primarily any direct text-based or video-based chat, using tools such as instant messengers, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), talkers, and possibly multi-user dungeons (MUDs). The expression “online chat” comes from the word “chat,” which means “informal conversation.” Online chat includes web-based applications that allow communication—often directly addressed, but anonymous between users in a multi-user environment. Web conferencing is a more specific online service, that is often sold as a service, hosted on a web server controlled by the vendor.
Chat systems, also referred to as dialog systems, play a key role in functioning of organizations with many critical decisions made using chat systems. One key feature that is critical to decision making is participant voting. Though online systems are available that have sophisticated methods to invite users, vote, share files, generate charts, etc., users must explicitly specify a poll question and potential answers. Another disadvantage of existing chat system tools is the need to move away from the chat system to vote or generate metrics.